⁶ The Lord’s hand^(A) was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation^(B) on them and afflicted them with tumors.^[a](C)

⁹ But after they had moved it, the Lord’s hand was against that city, throwing it into a great panic.^(A) He afflicted the people of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors.^[a]

¹² Those who did not die^(A) were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.

⁴ The Philistines asked, “What guilt offering should we send to him?”

They replied, “Five gold tumors and five gold rats, according to the number^(A) of the Philistine rulers, because the same plague^(B) has struck both you and your rulers.

⁵ Make models of the tumors^(A) and of the rats that are destroying the country, and give glory^(B) to Israel’s god. Perhaps he will lift his hand from you and your gods and your land.

¹¹ They placed the ark of the Lord on the cart and along with it the chest containing the gold rats and the models of the tumors.

¹⁷ These are the gold tumors the Philistines sent as a guilt offering to the Lord—one each^(A) for Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron.